


Catching Breaths

by Geonn



Category: Sanctuary (TV)
Genre: Canon Bisexual Character, Canon Lesbian Character, Canon Lesbian Relationship, Episode Related, Episode s04e04: Monsoon, F/F, Missing Scene, Plot What Plot, Porn Battle, Romance, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-29
Updated: 2011-10-29
Packaged: 2017-10-25 01:58:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/270467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Geonn/pseuds/Geonn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two vignettes over the course of an evening, and the end of a vacation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Catching Breaths

**Author's Note:**

> Follows from, but not necessarily a sequel to, "Hanging Around." It's not necessary to read one to read the other.

_Pre-Magnus or Post Magnus -  
Helen and Charlotte play a guessing game_  
"Amelia Earhart."

"Yes, oh, yes." Helen smiled. "Point for you."

Charlotte dragged her finger down the center of Helen's chest. After a moment of debate, she bent down and lightly kissed Helen's nipple. She teased it with her lips, parting her mouth just slightly to tease it with her tongue. Helen ran her fingertip up Charlotte's spine, up into her hair, and hissed quietly until Charlotte lifted her head for the next round.

"Napoleon."

"Oy! Point for me!" Helen added a touch of playful offense to her voice. "He was dead long before I was born." She examined Charlotte's body, still new to her despite a night full of sex and exploration. She touched Charlotte's shoulder and sat up enough to kiss the tattoo on her upper left bicep. She ran her tongue over the letters and then sat back. Her eyes were sparkling mischievously as she waited for Charlotte to guess again.

"Joan of Arc."

Helen laughed. "Now you're just trying to lose."

"Well, you kissed my _arm_."

"Valid. Point for me," Helen said. She slid lower under the blankets and lightly kissed Charlotte's abdomen just above her navel. Her tongue wet the flesh, and then she brushed her lips over the flat plane before she pushed her tongue into the divot of Charlotte's navel. She looked up, her cheek against Charlotte's stomach. "Better?"

"Mm. Much... Okay, um..." Helen sat up again and waited, eyes half-lidded. Charlotte's eyes were closed as she tried to think, and Helen stroked Charlotte's hip. Charlotte shivered at her touch, smiled, and then laughed. "I was never very good at history. You'll have to teach me."

"It's a deal." She kissed Charlotte. "Another name?"

"Hum... oh! Nikola Tesla."

Helen laughed. "Oh, oh, dear. Yes. Point for you."

Charlotte eased Helen forward, rolling her onto her stomach. Helen said, "Oooh," and kept her head turned as Charlotte climbed onto her. She straddled Helen's waist, parted her hair, and bent down to tenderly kiss the back of her neck. Helen shuddered and her eyelids drifted shut. Charlotte kissed up to Helen's ear and licked the shell of her ear. She bit the lobe, and Helen sighed blissfully.

"Edgar Allan Poe."

Helen opened her eyes. "Hm."

"Problem?"

"Yes. Of a sort. He died the year I was born. I don't quite remember if my birth happened before his death or not. There may have been overlap."

Charlotte whispered, "So it's a point for both of us?"

"How do you suggest we proceed, Ms. Benoit?"

Charlotte whispered her suggestion - a single number - and Helen couldn't resist a groan of anticipation. "Sounds fair to me... get up here..."

 _Battle Scars -  
Helen and Charlotte count their wounds._  
The sun eventually rose, and Helen and Charlotte were forced to deal with the fact they had been battered pretty badly at the airport. They'd both received minor first aid from Feliz's people, but their wounds needed to be dealt with. Helen went into the bathroom with Charlotte and stood with her in front of the mirror to make sure everything had been dealt with. Charlotte crossed her arms over her chest; not shy, just demure now that she could see her nudity in the mirror. Helen's touch was soft as she examined Charlotte's back.

"A bit of road rash where you hit the tarmac. Sorry about that..."

"That wasn't your fault."

"My plane. My failsafe. My explosion." She applied the ointment and then kissed the unmarked spot just above the wound. "My apologies."

Charlotte turned to face Helen. "Well, then allow me." She kissed Helen's cheek just above the small cut there. She brushed her lips over the bruises on her temple that had just started to color. She ran her hands up and down Helen's arms and pulled her close, their bodies fitting together as if by design. "All these wounds are mine. Because you came back for me. You were free, you had an escape. But you came back into danger for me. A-and the others, of course, but--"

"No." Helen touched Charlotte's face. "I came back for you. I couldn't bear the thought of leaving you behind."

"So if I hadn't been there, you'd have let Frank and Sylvester die?"

Helen shrugged and smiled conspiratorially. "We'll never know."

Charlotte touched the wounds on Helen's right shoulder, the remnants of her own skid across the pavement following the plane's explosion. "You know what I realized after everything settled down? You made me take off my shirt. I mean, I was wearing the tank top underneath, so it wasn't as bad as it could have been. But you made me take off my shirt to set that backdraft trap. And I didn't realize until I saw you back in the tarmac, but you... you were wearing that damn shawl the entire time."

"It was a fairly open weave. It never would have worked for what I needed."

Charlotte arched her eyebrow.

"Perhaps my plan was a little more prurient than that." She brushed her lips over Charlotte's. "Perhaps I did want to see a little more of you. I wanted to see you undress, if just partially." She ran a finger from one shoulder to the other, drawing a straight line across the top of Charlotte's breasts. "There is something undeniably attractive about watching a woman take off her clothing. To see her undo the buttons, to expose the underthings she chose for herself that morning. My mind may not have been entirely on the mission at that point, I must confess."

"You're forgiven." Charlotte smiled and looked down at their bodies. "And I really do apologize. I'm not usually so action hero. I'm sorry you have to see me all scraped up and bruised like this. You should see me on a good day."

"I don't think my heart could take it," Helen whispered. "You're devastating, Charlotte."

Charlotte's smile wavered. "You'll make me blush."

"Good."

Helen kissed Charlotte, arms slipping around her. She still had the bandages in her hand, so she used her free hand to stroke Charlotte's hip and down to her rear end. Charlotte moaned into Helen's mouth and tilted her head back. Helen kissed down her neck and Charlotte felt her nipples harden as Helen's lips moved closer to them.

"What--" Charlotte's voice cracked and she cleared her throat when she tried to speak. "What happens when this is over? I mean, we can't hide out here forever. You have a life to get back to..."

Helen rested her cheek against Charlotte's chest. It really wasn't fair... she'd spent a century biding her time and waiting for her chance to return to work. The wait had been interminable. And now that she'd been back for only a week, all she wanted to do was run away and hide for a month getting to know Charlotte.

"I assume your research will allow us to cross paths from time to time. And if it doesn't... we'll make excuses. Phone, email... and lots and lots of visits."

Charlotte smiled and kissed Helen. "These, um, Abnormals of yours. Might you need a research scientist lending a hand with some of them?"

"I might indeed." Helen kissed Charlotte. "With all the new Abnormals arriving on the surface recently, I might even have to hire a consultant."

Charlotte spoke into Helen's mouth. "I have references."

Helen laughed and walked Charlotte to the bathtub. "I have a very vigorous screening process. Brace yourself, Charlotte... if you want a job with me, you'll have to prove yourself worthy."

"Do your worst." Charlotte grinned as she was lowered into the bathtub. Helen's eyes flashed evilly as she followed her, stretching up to turn on the water before she lowered herself onto Charlotte.

 _Not Goodbye -  
Helen and Charlotte finally have to return to real life._  
Helen wrapped her arms around Charlotte from behind. She can feel Charlotte smiling without seeing it, and Charlotte stroked Helen's arms as she leaned back against Helen's weight. They were on the beach, both barefoot and sinking into the sand. The sun was trekking toward the water, turning the sky a vivid shade of red and violet and pink. Helen kissed Charlotte's neck where it sloped to meet her shoulder.

"This day."

Charlotte turned her head slightly. "Hm?"

"I've been looking for this day for decades. Thank you for bringing it to me."

"My pleasure. Literally, several times."

Helen laughed and rested her lips against Charlotte's cheek. After a moment her smile faded. "If I had a choice--"

"Sh. I know. You don't have to say it."

"So long as you know."

Charlotte turned in Helen's arms and cupped her face. "I know." She kissed Helen between the eyebrows and then her lips. Helen opened her mouth slightly and their tongues touched in a less frenzied version of how they had greeted each other over the past few days. The light died around them as if a curtain was being drawn on their time together. Helen opened her eyes and saw stark shadows drawn across Charlotte's face.

"We'll see each other again, Charlotte."

"Tomorrow?"

Helen smiled. "Somehow I doubt it."

"Then it won't be soon enough." She stroked Helen's hair and smiled sadly. "But it'll have to do."

Helen looked over her shoulder and then motioned for Charlotte to follow her. They linked fingers as Helen led Charlotte across the sand. They found a place where the ground sloped toward the sea. A stone protected them from view of the parking lot. Helen guided Charlotte into the hollow and whispered for her to sit. Charlotte did as she was told, burying her feet in the sand as Helen quickly undressed and lay her folded clothes on the rock.

"Undress," Helen said.

Charlotte took off her clothes as Helen stood in front of her, watching. She kept her eyes on Helen's face, Helen's eyes devouring each exposed area of skin until they were both naked. Charlotte's heart pounded as she held out her arms and Helen knelt down on top of her. They kissed, they stroked, they fondled one another as the sand shifted around them like it was trying to envelope them completely.

Helen slipped a finger into Charlotte, and Charlotte gasped, "More." Helen kissed her throat and added a second finger, thrusting gently until Charlotte's fingers scratched across her shoulders and arched up into her.

Charlotte pulled her leg up, and Helen pressed down against it. Helen sat up, Charlotte's hands cupping her breasts as she began to rock gently. Helen closed her eyes and parted her lips in a silent gasp. The last of the sun disappeared into the ocean, and night fell around them. Helen tightened her legs around Charlotte's and bent down to kiss her again.

"This is not goodbye," she swore.

"This is not goodbye," Charlotte agreed.

Helen kissed her again before reluctantly pulling away from her. They brushed the sand from each other, Helen laughing when Charlotte's fingers tickled a particularly sensitive spot. Helen straightened the collar of Charlotte's shirt when she had it back on, then she pulled Charlotte to her and kissed her.

"Come on. I'll give you a ride to the airport."

They held hands as they walked across the sand. "Will you protect me if anything bad happens?"

"Protect you?" Helen snorted and bumped her shoulder. "Like you'd need me."

"So... d-do you do that sort of thing a lot? Fighting bad guys, brave explosions, shoot and maim?"

"I much prefer tricking my enemies into defeating themselves. But yes, when needs must, I cause violence to those who deserve it."

"How do you get past it? I'm still shaking a little. Or maybe that's from what you just did to me."

Helen brought Charlotte's hand to her lips and kissed the back of it. "You have to find a way to catch your breath. Even if doing so leaves you breathless in a completely different way."

"Oh. I think I can live with this kind of breathlessness."

Helen looked over her shoulder at the water, the first stars beginning to shine overhead, the waves reflecting the dim light of the moon... She smiled and took a deep breath before she escorted Charlotte the rest of the way to the car.


End file.
